Paul Monaco .org

I’ve recently received many benefits from my practice.  I was able to move into a home of my own, been released from my previous lease in a financial positive manner as well as many other more personal and private events.

I share all these experiences with my fellow Soka Gakkai members and they’re all quick to point out how my support for the SGI and Sensie’s guidance is how these benefits were manifested but when I try to explain that there is much more to it, the conversation quickly gets shifted to other members as I have a reputation for not always falling in line with there agenda.  Which of course brings me to my blog.

I can’t deny that the SGI and all it’s members certainly are an influence in my life and do have some influence on my thinking.  Afterall, this is all basic Buddhist principle.  What is overlooked is that it’s the core basic Buddhist principles that truly guide our lives, interactions and future encounters.  It doesn’t matter if I’m a Shoshu, SGI or member of any other Buddhist sect.  The important point is that we all understand how every action we take, every decision we make and those of others is what influences our path.  As we continue to understand these sometimes very subtle relationship and how they effect we increase our understanding of our environment, world.. universe.

This practice just never stops amazing me!

When you practice Nichirin Buddhism you are very keenly aware of your actions, and how they immediately manifest into actions within the environment. 

For the past 8 months I’ve been very annoyed at something.  It wasn’t so much that the annoyance was so terrible, but the fact that I was allowing it to eat at me was bad.   It was something that I knew shouldn’t have bothered me and I somehow knew that this action was actually for my benefit but yet I had some inner resentment as to how it was presented.

Though I prefer to not go into great detail on the matter, and for that matter the details of it are really unimportant.. what’s important is though you will receive many benefits with this practice, they aren’t always very obvious at first.

I recently had a knock on my door.  I was very hesitant to answer thinking it was a solicitor.  Peeking through the peep-hole I see a friendly face who brought me the gift of “The Human Revolution” By Daisaku Ikeda - boxed set.  The gift was unexpected but oh so appropriate, a great deal of understanding came over me immediately.  Thank you, my friend.

“A great human revolution in just a single individual will help achieve a change in the destiny of a nation, and further, can even enable a change in the destiny of all humankind.” - Daisaku Ikeda

What karmic timing.  Nearly a year ago when I launched PaulMonaco.com I kicked it off with the 2007 theme of the Soka Gakkai which was “2007 - Year of Advancement and Victory” and today in alignment with 2008 being dubbed “2008 - The Year of Capable people and Development” I launch both PaulMonaco.org and PaulMonaco.net!

Looking back over the past year it truly has been a year of advancement and victory for me.  I’ve developed a very strong faith in my Buddhist practice, introduced several people to the practice one of which who has official professed his dedication to this Buddhism by receiving the Gohonzon and in general have just completly moved my karma in a positive direction.

Not only have I done much for myself by quitting smoking and drinking but my making of financial contributions both to the advancement of the Soka Gakkai as well as other charitable organizations such as Kiva.org  have all caused benefits to come back to me tenfold.

With all this in mind, this site will focus on health, environmental, spiritual and other similar issues as seen through my Buddhist eyes. 

Thank you for reading and being here to witness this stage of development in my life.

p.s. - More light hearted posts can be found at paulmonaco.com and to satisfy the inner geek in your paulmonaco.net has just been launched as well!